Automatic lubricator.



UNITED STATES PATEN T GFFICE.

FERRAND F. ELLIS, OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK.

AUTOI/IATIC LUBRIOATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERRAND F. ELLIS, of Oneida, in the county ofMadison, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Lubricators, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improvements in automatic lubricatorsfor revolving elements such as loose pulleys to which is attached an oilcup communicating through a by-pass with the bearing for the revolvingelement and containing a movable piston acting under centrifugal forceby the rotation of the revolving element to force the lubricant, as oil,through the bypass to the bearing.

My object is to provide a loose pulley or similar revolving element witha simple, practical and efficient lubricating device which is automaticin its action and selfregulating to feed the lubricant in suitablequantities to the bearing according to the speed of revolution of saidelement.

Other objects and uses relating to the specific structure of the devicewill be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings,Figure l is a sectional view of my improved lubricatingdevice shown as operatively mounted upon the hub of a loose pulley. Fig.2 is an elevation of the detached lubricating device showing the upperend of the by-pass in section, as communicating with the upper end ofthe cup. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the piston and Fig. 4: is asimilar view of the detached cap of the oil cup.

In carrying out the objects stated I provide an oil cup 1 with aninterior chamber 2 and an external extension 22 provided with a verticalpassage or by-pass 3 which communicates at its outer end through asuitable aperture 4: with the interior of the cup and its inner endcommunicates with an axial passage 4L centrally through the lower end ofthe shank as 5 of the cup. This shank -5- is provided with a threadednipple 6 adapted to be screwed into a threaded opening 7 in the hub as 8of a loose pulley or other revolving element adapted to be mounted upona bearing as a shaft 9-.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 11, 1907.

Serial No. 356,886.

The axial oil passage 4: extends entirely through the nipple 6 toestablish communication between the by-pass 3 and bearing 9- and is inthis particular instance disposed at substantially right angles to anintegral lateral offset 21 of the nipple. Said offset having the lateralpassage 3 forming a continuation of the bypass 3.

The shank 5 or nipple 6 is provided with a radial threaded opening 10contracting to form an intermediate opening 20, in alinement andcommunicating with the lateral offset 3 of the by-pass 3- and in thisthreaded aperture l0- is fitted an adjustable screw threaded valve 11adapted to be adjusted by a suitable tool, as a. screw driver, acrossthe outer end of the axial passage 4- and toward and from the adjacentend of the lateral passage 3- for the purpose of varying the size of theopening 20 between said passengers and thereby regulating the quantityof lubricant which may be admitted to the bearing at one time. In otherwords, this valve is for the purpose of regulating the flow of thelubricant according to its fluency and when once adjusted for a certaingrade of oil, it may be left in such position and the feed of thelubricant automatically regulated by the centrifugal action of thepiston as presently described. In order that this centrifugal feed ofthe lubricant may be effected, I provide a piston 12- of suitablematerial which is snugly fitted with an easy sliding action within theinterior of the cup 1 and is provided with an outwardly projecting stem-l3 having its outer end guided in a. tubular guide ll centrally in thecap as 15 of the cup.

A spring l6 in the form of a coil, is fitted over the tubular stem 13with its inner end bearing against the outer face of the piston 12 andits outer end engaged with the inner face of the cap l5, around theinwardly projecting end of the tubular guide 1l', for the purpose ofnormally retracting the piston and ofiering a slight de ree ofresistance to its centrifugal action su cient to prevent excessive feedof the lubricant.

The bottom or inner end of the cup 1 is provided with a suitable ventopening 17- to allow the entrance and exit of air Patented May 3, 1910.

at the inner end of the piston and thereby prevent excessive vacuum orcompression of the air which would interfere with the free action of thepiston.

It is evident from the foregoing description that this lubricatingdevice is particularly simple and efiective and may be readily attachedto any revolving element without special fitting, the only worknecessary being to provide the hub of said revolving element with athreaded aperture into which the nipple 6 may be screwed.

When the device is placed in operative position in the manner justdescribed and the pulley or the revolving member is rotated at asuflicient speed, the piston -12 will be thrown or moved outwardly bycentrifugal force against the action of the spring 16, thereby forcingthe lubricant, which has been previously placed in the cup 1-, throughthe aperture l and thence through the external by-pass 3- and -3- andpassage -4t' to the bearing -9, and it is obvious that the greater thespeed of rotation, the greater will be the pressure exerted by thepiston -12 due to centrifugal force to increase the feed of thelubricant to the bearing 9 thereby sup plying the lubricant inquantities proportionate to the speed of rotation.

As soon as the pulley is brought to rest or its speed materially loweredthe piston is retracted by the spring -16- which causes the cessation ofthe feed of the lubricant so that the latter is supplied to the bearingonly when the revolving element is in action, thus producing a saving inthe use of the lubricant, and at the same time the device is alwaysready for action to supply such lubricant in quantities proportionate tothe demand.

aaaeea What I claim is: An automatic lubricator comprising a hollowcylindrical body portion provided at its bottom with an eXt-eriorlyarranged shank terminating in a threaded nipple having a verticalchannel, and adapted to be secured to a rotatable element, said bodyportion having its wall formed with an extension, said extensionprovided with a vertical passage, there being a lateral offset formedintegral with said shank and having a lateral passage therethrough, saidlateral passage forming a continuation of said vertical passage, saidbody portion provided with a port for establishing communication betweensaid vertical passage and the interior of the body portion, said shankhaving a lateral aperture therethrough and said lateral aperturecommunicating intermediate its ends with said vertical channel andforming the continuation of said lateral passage, said lateral aperturehaving its inner part gradually contracting, a valve extending into saidlateral aperture and projecting within said contracted portion thereofat the point of communication between the lateral aperture and saidvertical channel, a closure detachably secured to said body portion, atubular guide member extending through said closure and having a closedouter end, a piston operating in said body portion and having a stemprojecting into said guide, and a spring surrounding the inner portionof said guide member and engaging said piston.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of February1907.

FERRAND F. ELLIS. WVitnesses H. E. GHAsE, M. M. Now.

